chip45boot2 AVR ATmega Xmega Bootloader

chip45boot2 is a professional bootloader for Atmel AVR ATmega Xmega microcontrollers with Intel hex file support and automatic baudrate adjustment:

chip45boot2 provides the following functionality

directly reads Intel hex files
automatic baud rate adjustment
XON/XOFF protocol
programs Flash and/or EEPROM
new: supporgt of RS485 half-duplex communication!!!
commands for byte wise reading and writeing of SRAM memory
commands for byte wise reading and writeing of EEPROM memory
2kbyte boot block (8k with ATxmega devices)
graphical Windows user interface chip45boot2 GUI for comfortable target programming from PC!

The bootloader automatically adjusts at start to the host's baudrate, so that it is not necessary to recompile the bootloader to a particular MCU clock. There exist precompiled hexfiles for different controller types and probably different UARTs, which work independently from MCU clock.

Supported AVR Controller

Currently precompiled and ready to use hexfiles exist for the following controllers:

ATmega8, ATmega88, ATmega88P, ATmega8535,
ATmega16, ATmega162, ATmega164P, ATmega168, ATmega168P,
ATmega32, ATmega324P, ATmega328P, ATmega3290P,
ATmega64, ATmega640, ATmega644, ATmega644P,
ATmega128, ATmega1280, ATmega1281, ATmega1284P,
ATmega2560, ATmega2561,
AT90CAN32, AT90CAN64, AT90CAN128,
ATxmega128A1 (mask revision H or newer)
ATxmega16A4, ATxmega32A4

In case your desired AVR controller is not listed, write us an Email and we will provide a new hexfile as soon as possible. This service so free of charge for you!

PC Software

The chip45boot2 GUI is a comfortable PC/Windows application with a graphical user interface for the bootloader, which simplifies flash and eeprom programming over a COM port. Similar to the precompiled bootloader hexfiles, the chip45boot2 GUI can be downloaded below for free.

If you want to use the PC software for a customer project, we can build a customized version for you (your company logo and name instead of chip45). Please contact us in case this is of interest for you.

Mac OS X Software

For Mac users a native Mac OS X user interface application is available at www.definefalsetrue.com. The page currently is available in german only, but the download link can be found easily and the actual application is in english. Thanks to Steffen Fuchs for programming this great application!

Documentation

Further informations are available in the Infosheet.

License

The precompiled hexfiles may be used for either commercial or non-commercial projects and products without limitations.

In case you want to extend the bootloader by own functions or make changes to it, you can buy the source code in the shop.

Download

chip45boot2 Bootloader (precompiled hexfiles):

chip45boot2 GUI PC/Windows Program:

(requires chip45boot2 version V2.82 or newer!)

Version History

chip45boot2 Bootloader:

V2.99: added RS485 support, restructured the batch files for building the targets in the source code distribution
V2.98: added PLL factor reset before application start with Xmega targets, added support for ATmega162
V2.97: added support for ATxmega16A4 and ATxmega32A4, added baud rate check after baud rate calculation at startup
V2.96: added support for Xmega devices, first one is ATxmega128A1 (mask revision H required, see bottom of device)
V2.95: complete rewrite of the startup code, now the timeout covers the full measurement of the U's, hence it is more reliable against disturbances on RXD
V2.94: added cli(); at bootloader start, in case bootloader was called from an application and not due to a reset; added TXD pullup at bootloader start to avoid reading of wrong bootloader version by chip45boot2 GUI due to floating pin
V2.93: added short delay before jump to the application (command 'g') to avoid loss of XON transmission due to possible uart init in user application
V2.90: renamed many variables and functions to indicate the data type and related module/header file, fixed a bug in command line reception
V2.89: added internal RXD pin pullup activation to make it less sensitive against disturbances of a probably floating pin in the final application accidental high->low transitions after reset could activate the bootloader instead of the application
V2.83: Changed welcome message, version number is printed now. New controllers.
V2.82: Changed line ending from '\r' (0x0a) to '\n' (0x0d) and several new microcontrollers.
V2.53: First officially released version

chip45boot2 GUI PC/Windows Program:

V1.7: added RS485 support
V1.6: added a pre string, which can be sent before bootloader connection and fixed an XOFF handshake issue on certain OS / UART UART driver combinations
V1.5: rearranged buttons slightly, smaller window, progress bar, longer and interruptable connect timeout
V1.4: fixed a bug in eeprom hexfile upload, added a help text window
V1.2: added non-standard baudrates to the list (helps with certain target clock frequencies) and a help window
V1.1: added more detailed output in the communication log window
V1.0: first official release of the chip45boot2 GUI PC/Windows application